UK, Germany, Italy, France, And The Netherlands Drive An Eleven Point Five Percent Winter Surge In Airline Seats To Greece, Fueling Strong Growth Across Athens, Thessaloniki, And Island Destinations

Published on November 25, 2025

As winter approaches, Greece is seeing a significant boost in airline seat capacity, with the UK, Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands leading the charge in driving an impressive 11.5% surge. This influx of flights is set to fuel substantial growth in key destinations such as Athens, Thessaloniki, and popular islands, creating new opportunities for both leisure and business travel to the Mediterranean nation.

Greece is entering the winter season with stronger momentum than ever, supported by a steady rise in international airline seat capacity and a growing appetite among travellers for year-round experiences. New data from the Air Data Tracker, which monitors scheduled international flight arrivals from November 2025 to March 2026, paints a clear picture of a country expanding its winter footprint. According to the latest update, airlines have planned 6.3 million incoming seats, marking an impressive rise of 649,834 seats, or 11.5 percent, compared to the previous winter. The numbers reveal a shift that industry observers have long anticipated: Greece is gradually transforming into a winter tourism contender.

A major driver behind this rise is the surging popularity of city-break travel. While Greece is widely celebrated for its islands and summer landscapes, urban destinations are now carrying the winter season. Athens accounts for 81 percent of all scheduled seats, reinforcing its role as the country’s central gateway for winter arrivals. Thessaloniki follows with 15 percent, maintaining its growing appeal as a northern cultural hub. Both cities have become ideal escapes for travellers seeking short getaways filled with culture, gastronomy, contemporary art, and year-round events—all elements that help sustain winter demand.

This trend also signals a broader shift in how Greece positions itself. The idea of Greece being solely a summer destination is slowly fading as more travellers embrace off-season exploration. Airlines, in turn, are responding with increased winter capacity not only to major cities but also to regional and island destinations. This expansion reflects rising confidence that the demand exists—and that Greece’s diverse landscapes and experiences can attract visitors well beyond the warm months.

The distribution of seats across the winter months shows a stable and consistent rise.
November marks a strong start with 1,357,211 seats, up by 11.2 percent from the previous year.
December follows with 1,288,657 seats, an increase of 9.4 percent.
January brings in 1,151,059 seats, growing by 10.3 percent.
February shows 1,091,814 seats, rising 11 percent.
March stands out most dramatically with 1,422,644 planned seats, a jump of 15.1 percent, suggesting an early build-up to the summer 2026 tourism season.

These month-by-month gains mirror the strengthening demand observed across key international markets. Seat availability from Germany has risen to 898,065, up 9.7 percent, making it the leading winter source market. The United Kingdom contributes 533,531 seats (+4 percent), followed by Italy with 522,420 seats (+5 percent). France adds 266,506 seats, marking an impressive 10.5 percent rise, while the Netherlands accounts for 210,962 seats, up by 2.6 percent. The collective growth demonstrates solid trust from major European hubs and sustained enthusiasm for Greece as a winter destination.

At the airport level, the country’s largest gateways reflect this surge in remarkable ways.
Athens International Airport now records 5,110,498 scheduled seats, growing by more than 474,000—a clear indication of its expanding role as a winter connection point for Southeast Europe and the Mediterranean.
Thessaloniki Airport shows steady improvement too, with 958,100 seats, marking a 9.9 percent rise. This expansion strengthens Thessaloniki’s position as a cultural and commercial hub for winter travellers exploring northern Greece and the Balkans.

Perhaps the most striking development of all is the performance of Greece’s regional airports, many of which serve destinations traditionally associated with summer holidays. This winter, several island airports are seeing some of their highest seat increases on record. Santorini nearly doubles its capacity with a surge of 97.3 percent. Zakynthos rises by 79.5 percent, Heraklion by 76.1 percent, and Kalamata by 66.4 percent. Significant jumps are also seen in Chania (+44.6 percent), Corfu (+44.4 percent), Rhodes (+39.7 percent), and Mykonos (+36.1 percent). These figures show a clear intention by airlines to support a longer travel season and meet the growing interest in quieter, off-peak island experiences.

However, while Greece’s winter seat capacity is expanding at a healthy pace, the country still trails behind destinations with long-established winter tourism infrastructure. Competitor destinations—many of which have invested heavily in winter resort products, outdoor recreation, wellness tourism, and off-season cultural events—continue to attract a larger volume of flights. Yet Greece’s growth rate stands out. The rapid rise in scheduled seats reveals strong untapped potential and increasing readiness among travellers to explore Greece beyond its traditional season.

The UK, Germany, Italy, France, and the Netherlands are driving an 11.5% increase in airline seats to Greece this winter, boosting travel demand to Athens, Thessaloniki, and island destinations. This surge reflects strong growth in both leisure and business travel to Greece.

What emerges from the latest data is not only a statistical rise but a deeper shift in perception. Greece is beginning to evolve into a destination where winter travel is not an exception, but a growing trend. With airlines adding more routes, travellers showing greater interest, and regional airports gaining momentum, the path toward a year-round tourism model is becoming more defined. The steady expansion in winter air capacity marks a promising chapter for the country’s tourism development—one that could reshape how the world experiences Greece in the years to come.